One Piece: I'm not Roger

The giant's attack moved painfully slow in Rayleigh's eyes. His gaze shifted slightly as he spoke in a calm, almost casual tone.

"How could I let you strike our side so easily at the very beginning?"

In one smooth motion, he drew the longsword at his waist. A sharp blue slash cut through the air. Blood burst from the Giant Vice Admiral's chest as a deep wound tore across his body, instantly robbing him of the ability to fight.

The massive body crashed onto the already fractured ice, causing it to crack further under the weight. Rayleigh's strike drew attention from all directions, forcing countless eyes to focus on the old man who seemed both unfamiliar and strangely recognizable.

Sengoku, who had just noticed the sudden arrival of the two figures, froze in shock. Their appearances were far too familiar. For a brief moment, he forgot that the Den Den Mushi was still broadcasting to the entire world.

"Are those Rayleigh and Roger? How is that possible… Roger has been dead for years."

His voice echoed across the battlefield, amplified by the Loudspeaker Den Den Mushi. Not only the Marines and pirates present, but even those watching the live broadcast around the world heard every word.

The moment the words left his mouth, Sengoku realized his mistake.

Even if it were true, it should never have come from him. As Fleet Admiral, his words carried authority. To the world, it sounded like confirmation. Such a statement could shake Marine morale to its core.

The idea that the Pirate King was still alive was absurd. If it were true, the Marines would become a laughingstock across the seas.

Before Sengoku could correct himself, the battlefield fell into a strange silence. Countless gazes turned toward Aether and Rayleigh. Even the massive broadcast screens focused entirely on them.

"Pirate King Roger and his right hand man?"

"That cannot be real… he looks too young. Roger would be much older by now."

Doubt and confusion spread everywhere.

Ace, kneeling on the execution platform, stared blankly into the distance. His thoughts were in complete disarray. That face, it looked exactly like Roger's. Could that man really have come to save him?

Aether ignored all of it.

What mattered to him was something else entirely. This was the moment he had been waiting for.

Only the Marines and the World Government possessed the ability to broadcast something like this to the entire world. With this stage set before millions, the system would finally show its true potential.

His identity did not even need to be confirmed yet. Sengoku raising the question alone was more effective than anything Aether could have done himself.

As expected, the system responded.

Notifications flooded in one after another.

SS-rank figures like Whitebeard generated moderate surprise. Experience increased by 20,000.

Several SS-rank figures generated minor surprise. Experience increased by 10,000 each.

S-class figures followed, then A-rank, B-rank, and beyond. The numbers stacked rapidly.

Total Experience reached 1.7 million.

Aether's level rose to 71.

The sheer scale of it was staggering. Over a million people had contributed, yet that was still only a fraction of the world's population.

At the same time, his status underwent another transformation.

His physical abilities surged, his constitution strengthening dramatically. Heat spread through his body as if his blood itself was boiling. His strength, agility, and endurance had finally reached the level of a Shichibukai.

His Armament Haki stood at the peak of advanced, on the verge of breaking through once more.

Aether glanced at Sengoku, his expression carrying a faint trace of amusement.

That single sentence from the Fleet Admiral had been worth more than any battle.

Elsewhere on the battlefield, chaos continued.

"Cage of Feathers."

Two black iron bars snapped shut, trapping more than a dozen pirates. Hina stood at a distance, fighting cautiously as she handled multiple enemies.

But Sengoku's words had drawn her attention to a face she would never forget.

Hatred surged within her.

Without hesitation, she abandoned her position and charged forward. She did not care whether that man was Roger or not. There was only one thought in her mind, to kill Aether.

Hancock, standing atop a distant turret, reacted very differently.

Her cheeks flushed as she gazed at Aether. Whether he was Roger or not meant nothing to her. As long as he was Aether, that was enough.

The reunion filled her with quiet happiness.

Whitebeard, who had been focused on the battle, now stared at the two figures with a deep frown. The young man beside Rayleigh looked exactly like Roger.

He did not hesitate to ask directly.

"Rayleigh… who is that?"

Rayleigh exhaled softly.

"I wish I knew. You should ask him yourself."

Aether stepped forward slightly, his voice calm and steady.

"Whitebeard, this is our first meeting. My name is Augustus D. Aether."

The reactions from Sengoku, Whitebeard, and the others were understandable. They had been completely consumed by the war. None of them had the time to pay attention to recent events or wanted posters.

Even those who might recognize Aether would lean toward a more believable explanation.

At that moment, Tsuru's voice came through the Den Den Mushi.

"Sengoku, do not be deceived. Augustus D. Aether is not Roger. He is a clone of Roger. We witnessed Roger's execution ourselves. There is no possibility he is still alive."

Her words spread across the battlefield and the world like a sudden awakening.

People remembered the execution. It had been broadcast globally. Everyone had seen Roger's final moments.

If Roger were truly alive, it would be a nightmare for both the World Government and civilians everywhere.

"…So that is the case."

Whitebeard seemed to relax slightly, though there was also a hint of disappointment in his expression.

Sengoku accepted the explanation as well.

After all, clones were not unheard of.

There was Whitebeard Jr, who possessed the strength and physique of a younger Whitebeard. And then there was Stussy of CP0, a clone of Buckingham Stussy.

Buckingham herself had once been a beauty in her youth, though time had not been kind to her.

Given such precedents, the existence of a clone of Roger was not impossible.

Among everyone present, only Rayleigh remained certain of one thing.

Aether was not a clone.

A clone could not possess memories like that. More importantly, the nature of his Conqueror's Haki was identical to Roger's.

That was something that could never be replicated.

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